Chef Cordelia

Can I give 6 stars?!
Chef Cordelia is simply THE best. I’ve worked in event planning and catering for over a decade, and you simply will not find anyone who has the combination of skills, talents, and personality she does.
I’ll get to the food in a minute, but first you have to understand that most chefs and caterers are obnoxious. From the moment I met Chef Cordelia, she was kind, funny, and professional. She’s laid back in a way that puts you at ease, but it’s not because she doesn’t care. She’s just a pro! If you want her to take charge and plan everything for you, she will — and she’ll kill it. If you’re specific about your event menu how you want things prepared, she’ll work with you and be «real» about what is possible based on your event needs and kitchen capabilities.
Last fall, she catered my wedding in Palm Springs. It was an intimate event at a private estate with 50 guests or so. Every single thing was on point. The passed hors d’oeuvres were incredible (2 hot, 2 cold) and the sit-​down plater dinner not only looked amazing, but tasted incredible. I would cut off a finger if it meant that I could eat her gnocchi again. The chimichurri on her ribeye was equal parts fresh and delicious and she also made the most delicious roasted cauliflower (vegetarian option).
On top of her easy and approachable demeanor and incredible food, she knows the importance of service and aesthetics. Her staff was present, engaged, and friendly (not always the case with cater-​waiters (trust me)), and she made sure everything was setup and prepared in an way that looks as good as it tastes.
Don’t hire an overly-​expensive snooty caterer. Hire Cordelia! She is, easily, one of the best chefs I have ever worked with.

Feed a fussy throng?
Quality not compromised.
We swear she’ll kill it.

Christmas Dinner for 14. A new, unfinished kitchen with no vent hood. A last-​minute discovery that one of the guests is Kosher. Holiday dishes still in boxes…somewhere. Did I mention 14 guests?
It could have been a disaster, but Chef Cordelia arrived and took over. She was calm, she was in command, and she handled a large knife like she knew what she was doing. From the kitchen came forth course after course of revelatory yumminess. Baked Brie with spiced cranberry relish. The best butternut squash soup I have ever tasted, truffled parsnips, wild mushroom quinoa, pheasant with a red wine glazey sauce you longed to lick from the plate when no one was looking, and the most tender, succulent rack of lamp imaginable. I didn’t even think I liked lamb! I was so very wrong.
Thanks to Chef Cordelia for reintroducing me to foods such as squash and lamb that I had previously ignored. It takes a certain genius to know how to bring subtle foodstuffs into the limelight, supporting them with just the right seasoning, so that you realize how sublime they can truly be. So pair that artistry with the ability to also handle staff, diners, and nervous hosts like me, and you have the perfect catering chef.
I recommend her without reservation.
And that truffled bacon caramel popcorn she sells on her website? Leaves Harry and David limp and dusty by the side of road. Like nothing I’ve ever eaten, and now, I must have more.
Damn you, Chef Cordelia, for creating something so addictive!